The twin brother of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a former national security aide who testified in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, has filed a complaint with the Pentagon watchdog claiming that he was fired from his White House role in an act of retaliation.
Democratic lawmakers confirmed Wednesday that Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, a former White House lawyer, filed the federal complaint on Aug. 18.
House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), chairman of the Oversight Committees subcommittee on national security, and chairman of the Committee on Armed Services Adam Smith (D-Wash.), wrote a letter (pdf) to Pentagon acting Inspector General Sean ODonnell, saying Vindman alleged in his complaint that he was dismissed for reporting concerns about the presidents efforts to have Ukraine investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden and about alleged legal and ethical breaches by Trumps national security adviser.
Vindman, who was let go from his role as deputy National Security Council (NSC) legal adviser in February, also alleged National Security Adviser Robert OBrien and NSC Chief of Staff Alex Gray misused government resources, excluded women from meetings, and made sexist and demeaning remarks to female NSC staffers, the Democratic lawmakers revealed Wednesday.
The lawmakers urged ODonnell to look into whether the president dismissed Vindman from his White House role in retaliation for filing confidential reports with his superiors containing his allegations.
It comes just over a month after Schiff, Maloney, and Lynch wrote a letter (pdf) to ODonnell to investigate alleged actions by administration officials “to create a retaliatory work environment” for the now-retired Alexander Vindman.
The Democrats also urged the Pentagon watchdog last month to investigate their claims of “retributive actions” taken against Yevgeny Vindman, and to consider recommending “any systemic improvements that could be made to protect DOD whistleblowers from similar retaliation in the future.”
“These allegations are ridiculous and false,” White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah told Reuters. Dwrena Allen, a spokeswoman for ODonnell, said his office “has the letter and is reviewing the request.”
The Epoch Times contacted the White House for comment, but didnt immediately hear back.
The lawmakers said ODonnell should also investigate whether the president and his aides dismissed Alexander Vindman in retaliation for testifying in House proceedings that led to Trumps impeachment for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress last year, the lawmakers said.
The Democratic-led House found thRead More From Source
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